Granted Patent B2

US 12,296,994 · App. 18/370,772 · Granted May 13, 2025

Inventors: Genda Chen (Rolla, MO); Alec Reven (Newburg, MO); Bo Shang (Rolla, MO); Zhenhua Shi (Rolla, MO); Liujun Li (Rolla, MO); Boyang Li (Kowloon, HK)

Assignee: The Curators of the University of Missouri

B64U10/70B64U50/19

Abstract

Claims (69)

1. An unmanned vehicle comprising:

a body;

at least one power source coupled to the body;

a flight propulsion system coupled to the at least one power source and configured to propel the unmanned vehicle through air; and

a surface propulsion system coupled to the at least one power source and configured to propel the unmanned vehicle along a surface, wherein the surface propulsion system comprises:

a plurality of arms;

a plurality of drive mechanisms operably coupled to the plurality of arms; and

at least one spring operably coupled to the plurality of arms,

wherein each arm of the plurality of arms is moveable between a first, open position and a second, engaged position,

wherein the plurality of arms selectively position the plurality of drive mechanisms to engage the surface and to maintain the body in the traversing position below the surface when each arm of the plurality of arms is moved to the second, engaged position, and

wherein the at least one spring is configured to bias each arm of the plurality of arms toward the second, engaged position;

wherein the unmanned vehicle is configured to switch between a flight configuration in which the unmanned vehicle is propelled through air via the flight propulsion system, and a surface traverse configuration in which the unmanned vehicle is propelled along the surface via the surface propulsion system, and

wherein, in the surface traverse configuration, the surface propulsion system is configured to engage the surface and to maintain the body in a traversing position below the surface as the surface propulsion system propels the unmanned vehicle along the surface.

2. The unmanned vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one power source comprises a battery, wherein the flight propulsion system and the surface propulsion system are coupled to the battery, and wherein the battery is configured to supply power to the flight propulsion system when the unmanned vehicle is in the flight configuration, and to supply power to the surface propulsion system when the unmanned vehicle is in the surface traverse configuration.

3. The unmanned vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein switching between the flight configuration and the surface traverse configuration comprises controlling the flight propulsion system to position the body at a predetermined distance vertically below the surface, actuating each arm of the plurality of arms to move to their respective second, engaged positions thereby enabling the plurality of drive mechanisms to engage the surface, shutting down the flight propulsion system, and enabling control of the surface propulsion system, wherein the flight propulsion system and the surface propulsion system are controllable via manual control by a user or via autonomous control.

4. The unmanned vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein each drive mechanism of the plurality of drive mechanisms is shaped like a portion of a cone.

5. The unmanned vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein each drive mechanism of the plurality of drive mechanisms comprises a polyurethane material.

6. The unmanned vehicle according to claim 1 further comprising at least one motor, wherein the surface propulsion system further comprises:

at least one transmission configured to transfer power from the at least one motor, along the plurality of arms, and to the plurality of drive mechanisms when the unmanned vehicle is in the surface traverse configuration; and

at least one clutch assembly configured to selectively provide power to the plurality of drive mechanisms when the unmanned vehicle is in the surface traverse configuration and to selectively prevent transmission of power to the plurality of drive mechanisms when the unmanned vehicle is in the flight configuration or when the unmanned vehicle is switching between the flight configuration and the surface traverse configuration.

7. The unmanned vehicle according to claim 6 , wherein the flight propulsion system and the surface propulsion system are both powered by the at least one motor.

8. The unmanned vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the flight propulsion system comprises at least one propeller.

9. The unmanned vehicle according to claim 1 further comprising:

at least one sensor in communication with at least one processor,

wherein the at least one sensor is configured to measure a distance between the unmanned vehicle and the surface, and

wherein the at least one processor receives the measured distance between the unmanned vehicle and the surface and determines when to switch between the flight configuration and the surface traverse configuration based on the measured distance between the unmanned vehicle and the surface.

10. The unmanned vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the body further comprises:

a first portion;

a second portion; and

at least one switching assembly coupling the first portion to the second portion,

wherein the at least one switching assembly is configured to rotate the second portion relative to the first portion when the unmanned vehicle is switched between the flight configuration and the surface traverse configuration.

11. A system comprising:

an unmanned vehicle comprising:

a body;

at least one power source coupled to the body;

a flight propulsion system coupled to the at least one power source and configured to propel the unmanned vehicle through air; and

a surface propulsion system coupled to the at least one power source and configured to propel the unmanned vehicle along a surface, wherein the surface propulsion system comprises:

a plurality of arms;

a plurality of drive mechanisms operably coupled to the plurality of arms; and

at least one spring operably coupled to the plurality of arms,

wherein each arm is moveable between a first, open position and a second, engaged position,

wherein the plurality of arms selectively position the plurality of drive mechanisms to engage the surface and to maintain the body in the traversing position below the surface when each arm of the plurality of arms is moved to the second, engaged position, and

wherein the at least one spring is configured to bias each arm of the plurality of arms toward the second, engaged position; and

a controller configured to send instructions to the unmanned vehicle to cause the unmanned vehicle to switch between a flight configuration in which the unmanned vehicle is propelled through air via the flight propulsion system and a surface traverse configuration in which the unmanned vehicle traverses the surface via the surface propulsion system,

wherein, in the surface traverse configuration, the surface propulsion system is configured to engage the surface and maintain the body in a traversing position below the surface as the surface propulsion system propels the unmanned vehicle along the surface.

12. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the at least one power source comprises a battery, wherein the flight propulsion system and the surface propulsion system are coupled to the battery, and wherein the battery is configured to supply power to the flight propulsion system when the unmanned vehicle is in the flight configuration, and to supply power to the surface propulsion system when the unmanned vehicle is in the surface traverse configuration.

13. The system according to claim 10 , wherein the unmanned vehicle further comprises at least one sensor in communication with the controller, wherein the at least one sensor is configured detect a surface, wherein the controller determines a distance between the vehicle and the surface based on data from the sensor, and wherein the controller determines when to switch between the flight configuration and the surface traverse configuration based on the determined distance between the unmanned vehicle and the surface.

14. The system according to claim 10 , wherein the controller sends instructions to the flight propulsion system and to the surface propulsion system to switch the unmanned vehicle between the flight configuration and the surface traverse configuration.

15. A method of operating an unmanned vehicle, the unmanned vehicle comprising a body and at least one power source coupled to the body, the method comprising:

propelling the unmanned vehicle through air using a flight propulsion system coupled to the at least one power source;

engaging a surface with a plurality of drive mechanisms, wherein the plurality of drive mechanisms are configured to engage the surface and maintain the body in a traversing position below the surface;

switching the unmanned vehicle between a flight configuration and a surface traverse configuration; and

propelling the unmanned vehicle along the surface in the traversing position using a surface propulsion system coupled to the at least one power source, wherein the surface propulsion system comprises:

a plurality of arms, wherein each arm is moveable between a first, open position and a second, engaged position,

a plurality of drive mechanisms operably coupled to the plurality of arms, and

at least one spring operably coupled to the plurality of arms, wherein the spring is configured to bias each arm of the plurality of arms toward the second, engaged position; and

positioning, the plurality of drive mechanisms to engage the surface and to maintain the body in the traversing position below the surface when each arm of the plurality of arms is moved to the second, engaged position.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein switching the unmanned vehicle between the flight configuration and the surface traverse configuration comprises:

shutting down the flight propulsion system; and

enabling control of the surface propulsion system.

17. The method according to claim 15 further comprising:

detecting an obstacle while propelling the unmanned vehicle along the surface;

switching the unmanned vehicle between the surface traverse configuration and the flight configuration;

disengaging the plurality of drive mechanisms from the surface;

propelling the unmanned vehicle through air to avoid the obstacle;

engaging the surface with the plurality of drive mechanisms;

switching the unmanned vehicle between the flight configuration and the surface traverse configuration; and

propelling the unmanned vehicle along the surface using the surface propulsion system.

18. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the flight propulsion system and the surface propulsion system are controllable by a user via manual control or by a controller via, at least partially, autonomous control.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (42)